Most of us don't have the space for a real, old-school dressing room, but that doesn't mean we can't treat our closets with the same care that goes into designing a grand walk-in. For tips on transforming your blah closet into something special, click below...
- The first step in the process is to clean out your closet. This makes room for new growth and gives you a blank canvas to work with. For a 4-step guide to getting rid of excess stuff, click here.
- Find your source of inspiration. We love looking at designer dressing rooms. They often use rich paint, wallpaper, and floor coverings to bring a sense of glamour to a small space. Develop a color palette for your closet, and decorate the walls and floors as if you were designing an entryway or living area.
- Consider adding lighting. It will expand the sense of space in your closet and, most importantly, it will make it easier to find things. Options include LED dot lights, door-operated closet lights, and motion-sensor lights.
- Add functional elements that will streamline your closet and help you stay organized. Your closet system should include a hanging rod (double rods can be very helpful), separate hooks for hanging individual pieces, shelving for folded clothes, a shoe rack, and maybe some drawers or boxes to organize smaller items. For ideas and recommendations, click here and here.
- If you have room, adding furniture can go a long way towards transforming a utilitarian area into something more personal. You might not have space inside your closet, but maybe there's room for a small upholstered bench or chair by the door. If you're short on square footage, avoid taking up valuable floor space by hanging a floor-length mirror on the wall.
RELATED POSTS
• 4 Steps for a Successful Closet Cleanse: S.H.E.D.
• 9 Essentials for the Ultimate Clothes Closet
• 20 Ways to Organize Your Bedroom Closet
Photos: Alvhem, Hugo Boss Concept Store by Itunube, MBK Margie licensed via Creative Commons, Laura's Pared Down Perfection / Jill Slater, Como Rug from the Rug Company
I added a kilim rug, a sheepskin, a full-length mirror, and hung art in my walk-in closet to turn it into a charming dressing room. now I can leave my closet door open and everyone who passes by thinks it's another room! I display my vintage dresses and shoes so that they become little works of art...I love getting ready every day!
http://mylittleapartment.blogspot.com/
view my little apartment's profile
My RV has a dressing room but the wardrobe sucks. *sighs*
The space has a full-length mirror, which I think is necessary in a dressing room, and the vanity area has plenty of lighting for makeup application and grooming. The skylight in the glass-enclosed shower and as well as the one in the middle of the room allow a lot of natural light, which is a bonus. I would have space for a small bench, too, but I currently use that space for a storage tower. That'll change when I do my renos this winter; I'll probably put in a small stool with a drawer under it and replace the ugly plastic brassy hook with a valet-type one.
Here are pics of my dressing room as it was when I moved in. The only thing that's changed is that I added the ugly, but oh-so-necessary-because-the-wardrobe-sucks storage tower:
http://travelswithmiranda.uskeba.ca/?page_id=679
A dressing room in an RV is the ultimate luxury!
view TravelingRae's profile
Hi--I am new to this site but I am moving into a charming place in Oak Park and my landlords have provided me with a lovely closet. You have given me some great ideas. I will be sure to check your blog with frequency.
view bluce43's profile
Great ideas! I just moved into my first apartment with a real closet. I could probably sleep in there if I wanted. I've been looking for ways to make it more glamorous/dressing room-ey. will definitely put some art up. - thanks!
view nikki moore - photography and vintage treasures's profile